Light in the Dark
by Amethyst Anenara
Summary: Chapter Thirteen- Uh...oh...trouble on the Dolphin...
1. Default Chapter

A Light in the Dark  
  
I DO NOT OWN CYBORG 009!! And if I did you wouldn't even care about me writing this so there!  
  
All right, full summary:  
  
Joe's having nightmares *do Cyborgs have those?* about a little girl crying for him. So when the gang decides to go to Tokyo, everyone gets a surprise from the little girl...  
  
Okay, okay, here we go...  
  
Prologue...  
  
It was difficult to say what he'd done to get back here. He couldn't remember using Acceleration, and the rest of his fellow cyborgs were nowhere to be found. So, going with the flow, he decided to follow his feet, and soon noticed that this was Tokyo he was in. When he stopped, he was in front of the cathedral that he'd been brought up in as well, and a troubled look came over his face as he remembered what had happened here. To the Father.  
  
The burnt wood, the gate, the crying, the cross, the scarred tree that had lived...wait, crying? That was new. He looked around blindly until his eyes met the source of the sound. A little girl, all curled up on the swing near the back. Cautiously, he walked up to her, and kneeled beside of her. "Are you okay?" he asked, causing her to look up in alarm. "Oh, don't be frightened, I won't hurt you..."  
  
"Who...are you?" she asked, looking over him with only one visible ice blue eye. The other was hidden under a lock of bangs that were brushed to the side, like his was, but her hair was jet black. She looked about four or five, but he wasn't quite sure.  
  
With a comforting smile, he held out his hand, "My name is Joe. Joe Shimamura." She took his hand, and studied it.  
  
"I'm Kohana," she said, letting his hand go. She then looked over her shoulder, and her lip trembled some more. "But they don't want me alive." This alarmed him. His eyes widened as he, too, looked over her shoulder, but saw nothing.  
  
"Who? Who doesn't want you alive?" he asked, eyes glinting in something that could be described as fear.  
  
"Them. They took me away when he died, and they don't want me alive anymore..."  
  
"Black Ghost?" he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder. She nodded, and looked again away from him.  
  
"They're here," she said simply, then hugged him. "Now I'll die."  
  
"Not if I have anything to say about it," he growled, then picked her up. Knowing that he couldn't use Acceleration Mode because she was a human, he ran out of the church's grounds, glancing once over his shoulder in a sort of goodbye to it. Kohana buried her face in his chest, frightened.  
  
"Now you're gonna die too! Why'd you do that?" she cried. He glanced down at her, and sighed.   
  
'Never really had a way with women, he thought. Especially miniature ones.' Then he told her, "I won't die that easily. Trust me." Apparently, she did, for she went completely rigid in his arms...too rigid. He couldn't even feel the rise of her chest as she breathed. Wait- she wasn't breathing! He stopped, and looked down at her. A small bullet hole went right through his chest, one that he hadn't yet felt, and into her throat. She was dead. With widened eyes, he laid her on the ground to check and see if it was true. No pulse...no breathing. Just an empty shell. That's when the pain from his wound hit him...plus ten other newly recieved bullets. He turned to look at his foe, but there was none there. The pain was too much, and down he fell...down into darkness...  
  
There ya go, that's the prologue...um...yeah. Flamers most welcome...and stuff. Oh, right, and before you flame...make sure to at least take a walk and calm yourself, so I don't have to read something too bad. Eheheh^^;; 


	2. Chapter One

lmao! Sorry Red Roses 2, I had to make the drama part stand out. But thanks for the review, and rigid means stiff-ish, like a dead person would be...or something ^_^;;   
  
Chapter One...  
  
Joe shot awake in a cold sweat, and looked around his room with a heavy sigh, "Just a dream..." Everything was the same as usual, even everywhere else in the Dolphin. In fact...  
  
"You bloody oaf, why won't you ever let me cook something British??" G.B. cried from the kitchen. Joe smiled, his anxiety forgotten as he went out to see what all the fuss was about.  
  
"I don't think so!" Chang spat back, throwing a frying pan G.B.'s way. G.B. transformed into a catapault, and threw it back his way. Chang got hit right in the face, and when the pan fell to the ground, it left an imprint on his face. Furious, he spat fire back at G.B.'s way, and G.B. ducked behind the table, crawling out of the kitchen before anything got melted. Joe, eye brow raised, laughed at the two of them.  
  
"Now what are you fighting about?" he asked G.B. as he stood up and dusted himself off.  
  
"Why, that oaf refuses to let me cook some of my homeland's famous tea and crumpets! Aren't the Chinese also lovers of tea?"  
  
"Um...couldn't tell you," Joe said with a humorous smile. In the front of the ship, Dr. Gilmore, Baby Ivan, Francoise, and Pyunma were all discussing the weather, which was nice to discuss, being as they rarely got a chance to even conduct small talk. After a glance in the kitchen, Joe gulped and joined them, "Good morning everyone!"  
  
"Oh, good morning, 009," Dr. Gilmore said. "003 was telling us that she heard you tossing all night, are you all right?" Francoise blushed, and looked away, as Joe glanced at her.  
  
"Yes, Doctor, I'm fine. Just a bad dream," he said, then chuckled, "Man, I forgot what bad dreams were!" 008 and 001 also laughed along with him, but Dr. Gilmore and Francoise looked at each other with a frown.  
  
"Well, if you can't sleep at night, 009, you can always hang out with 004 and I," Pyunma said, laughing. "We never get to sleep till after midnight anyway." Joe nodded.  
  
"Thanks, 008, I'll keep that in mind."  
  
"What's all the racket on this ship?! Can't a cyobrg get a peaceful sleep without people laughing and throwing frying pans at each other?!" Jet demanded, coming out of his room and rubbing his eyes as he stretched.  
  
"The thing returns, people," Albert called from the cockpit. "Run for your robotic lives!"  
  
"Ha ha, very funny," Jet shot back, sitting down. "So where're we headed today, Dr. Gilmore?"  
  
"Actually," Dr. Gilmore said, pondering for a moment, "Dr. Kizumi asked us to visit...so I guess it's off to Tokyo with us!" He smiled toward 009, "That okay, 009?"  
  
"It's fine," Joe said confusedly. "Why wouldn't it be?" Once again, Gilmore and Francoise exchanged a look, then the good doctor shrugged and called everyone to get to the cockpit. Joe sat down, and let his fingers run over the controls mechanically, as was the routine. His mouth had gone a little dry, and it was hard to swallow. So they were going back to Tokyo, huh? That was where he'd dreamed he'd met Kohana...what if...what if it was real? What if Kohana really was going to die? Sighing, he let his anxiety ease as he glanced around at his teammates. They didn't need to know anything about why he was so tense. They had their own problems. Relaxing his eyes closed, he didn't realize that everyone was glancing at him, then each other. He only knew that for some reason, even though he had just awoken, he was exhausted. As he drifted off, Dr. Gilmore looked worriedly at him. Apparently, they knew more then he thought...  
  
I know, you all hate me. Just felt like a good place to leave it off...^^;; So please review, even if it's only to curse me out for my untimely short chapter writing disease. 


	3. Chapter Two

GoldAngel2, thanks sooo much^_^ Ish reviews like these that get me on the roll! But anyway, I'd tell you what was gonna happen, but that'd kinda ruin it for you...so I can only assure you and make a wholesteady vow that, yes, there WILL be 003/009 action...*evil grins* ^___^  
  
and  
  
Henrika, thank you sooo much too! lol, of course 003/009 all the way! *in complete agreement* Yeah, sorry about the shortness...I wanted to just get them THERE, so I can actually get started with the juicy stuffs....but I promise to try and lengthen the following stuff out. ^_^  
  
and  
  
Queen of Duels, lol, thankee^_^ My humblest works are loved, so may the humble rest in peace ^_^  
  
As for the rest of you...REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!!...............  
  
.......  
  
.......  
  
.......  
  
.......please?  
  
Oh, and by the way, people, prepare yourselves for an ultimately kawaii scene at the end of this chappie^___^  
  
Chapter Two...  
  
"Should we let him sleep like that?" Albert asked. "I mean, you know what happened last night..."  
  
"Yes, let him rest," Dr. Gilmore said. "He can't go anywhere today without us noticing anyway. Besides, he needs it." So Albert shrugged, and turned back to the control panel. "003, how long until we reach Tokyo?"  
  
"We'll be there by lunch, Dr. Gilmore," she said and smiled at him. Joe mumbled something in his sleep, causing all eyes to turn to him in worry. But all was well, and a look of peace was spread over his face, something none of them could particularly deny him at the moment.  
  
Some time later...  
  
"We've arrived," muttered 005 as he looked to Dr. Gilmore. "Where would you like us to land?"  
  
"Somewhere rather secluded, as usual," Dr. Gilmore said, rubbing his eyes as he put down the book he'd been reading. "We'll go visit Dr. Kizumi tomorrow. Right now, I'm sure everyone would like to get some rest."  
  
"What about 009?" Francoise asked immediately.  
  
"You all leave him to me, I'll watch over him," Dr. Gilmore reassured them. Still a little hesitant, they complied with his wishes, and everyone went to sleep.  
  
In 009's head...  
  
"Kohana, it's you!" he said, seeing the little girl and rushing over to her. She was jumping rope in the yard of the church again. "You're alive!" Nameless joy swept over him as he kneeled beside her to smile at her. She looked up at him with a similar grin, as if seeking his approval of her jumproping.  
  
"Alive?" she asked, looking down at herself. "I am, aren't I? Wow, that's neat..." Muttering to herself, she continued to play, and finally, stopped and looked at him. "You know, I'm tired. I don't feel like playing any more. My head hurts." Joe looked worried as she rubbed a certain part of her head.  
  
"Let me see it," he said, reaching out to move her hand and examine the bump himself. It was only a knot, nothing majorly wrong to worry about. It was strange, but Joe could say that after seeing her die in his arms, he felt sort of protective of her...as a big brother would feel, he guessed. Not surprisingly, he was shocked that he still had the ability to feel that way toward people. But he still did...towards both this girl...and...Francoise...  
  
The thought of the blonde haired, emerald-eyed cyborg made him blush, and he looked at Kohana to cover it up, "You'll be just fine. It's only a bump. I'm sure it'll be-" His words were stopped by the sudden dullness of her eyes. It was a dullness he had seen before. "No, not again," he moaned, catching her as she fell to the ground. "Why does this keep happening to you? You're just a child!" He looked over her for any signs of major injury, and found only a small cut at the base of her throat. "What...?"  
  
"A ghost does not die..." a voice said from inside the church. Joe looked up, eyes saucer wide, at the cathedral, and with surprise noticed that it had returned to its original state, as it had been when he was a child. The voice that spoke...was familiar. "A ghost is not a ghost, either. They are spirits. Spirits have great power, but if a spirit is locked from both Heaven and Hell, can be quite destructive." As he listened, Joe realized he'd heard this speech before. It was the priest that was speaking. Scooping up the limp body of Kohana, he walked toward the door, lip trembling as the still-warm child's head fell against his chest. "These spirits have the power to suck one into one's nightmares, but can be even more destructive if they take over the bodies of people. Children are the easiest targets..."  
  
'Children?' Joe repeated in his mind, looking down at Kohana. Come to think of it, she did look like someone he remembered...who? Who was it?  
  
"...Sometimes life can surprise us with many gifts...the gift of love is what powers the spirits to do these things to people. Know this, Mr. Shimamura, and do not fear the spirit that you believe speaks to you now..." That's when it hit him; he'd used to have visions of people speaking to him as a child. Awful premonitions, of people he didn't know. These were the words spoken to him during that time...  
  
Kohana's now cold body stirred in his arms, and he anxiously looked down at her, "Ko...han...a?" She opened her big ice blue eyes and looked up at him.  
  
"Joe, remember me...please remember me..."  
  
In the dolphin...  
  
009 snapped forward with a choked cry. Breathing heavily, he stared out the windows in the cockpit of the Dolphin for a moment, then noticed that there was a hand on his shoulder, and someone speaking to him soothingly. Sweat ran in streams down his forehead, and he couldn't quite focus on the voice until he realized that there were two of them, then slowly, he let himself be pulled back to reality.  
  
"009, are you all right?" the first voice, a sweet and feminine one, was laced with deep worry, and its owner had the hand on his shoulder. He looked at Francoise with widened eyes, then heard the second voice again.  
  
"Calm down, Joe!" it said. This voice was Dr. Gilmore. Joe took a deep breath, and sat back in his seat, glancing at the clock above him. Four thirty. He realized that both of them had stayed up to watch over him, and was instantly guilty about it.  
  
"I'm sorry, did I worry you?" he asked, his voice gruff with emotion as he looked at 003's hand, and took it in his own. She gave him a soothing smile, and squeezed his hand in return.  
  
"You were having another nightmare," Dr. Gilmore explained, distracting 009's attention away from 003 and to him. "009...do you...ever use your Acceleration in your dreams?"  
  
"No, Dr. Gilmore...why?" he asked curiously, using his free hand to wipe some sweat from his forehead.  
  
"Oh, no reason...but, Joe," Dr. Gilmore continued with a paternal voice, "I want you to tell me every time one of these dreams occurs. It's not healthy how they keep reoccuring, especially for you and at this time..."  
  
"Why especially for me?" Joe asked seriously. Dr. Gilmore looked gravely at him, then at Francoise, who gladly explained.  
  
"Well, we all know how...distant you get when you're back in Tokyo, Joe," she explained.  
  
"Oh..." Now he knew what they meant. It wasn't long ago that he'd told every one of them about his past, and how he'd been accused of killing the Father at the cathedral he'd been brought up in. But thinking about the place sent shivers down his spine, and he closed his eyes for a long moment, while even more worried glances were exchanged above his head.  
  
"Come on, Joe," Francoise said, getting a questioning gaze from both gentlemen. With a slight blush, she told them both, "You're always taking care of me and making sure I'm all right, so tonight it's my turn to tuck you in." A grin spread across Dr. Gilmore's face as 009 let himself be led to his room by 003, and he shook his head, going to his own room.  
  
In 009's room, Francoise led him directly to bed, putting back the covers and making him lie down. Then she tucked the cover around him securely, arms out, and smiled as he said, "Geesh, you're good at treating people like kids, huh?"  
  
"I get practice with Baby Ivan," she responded slyly, hoping he didn't notice the tingling blush on her cheeks as she prepared herself for her next action, "Good night, Joe Shimamura."  
  
In a sleepy voice, he replied, "G'night, Francoise..." She smiled, and leaned down, her blush deepening each inch until she was close enough to press a kiss to his forehead. His eyes opened wide temporarily to stare at her, then closed again with a small smile curving his lips as she ran a hand down his hair, then stood to go.  
  
"Oh, by the way, Joe," she said to him, although he was already asleep, "We've arrived in Tokyo..."  
  
There....ain't love grand? ('_' ) Tissues to all! Please review?! 


	4. Chapter Three

Chapter Three...  
  
Holy crap! I didn't think I'd get so many reviews in the time of twenty one hours!!!!!! 0.0;; Oh, well, thank you all soo much! If you really keep up the reviews, I may just stop it with all the deathiness, eh? Okay? Good? ^___^  
  
  
  
Tokyo was just the same as ever. Francoise carried Ivan in her arms, leading Dr. Gilmore and Joe through the main square. The other cyborgs had split up to go shopping (Chang and G.B.) or got drawn to the weaponry stores (everyone else). Although Joe was lagging behind, Francoise spoke cheerfully to both him and Dr. Gilmore, as Baby Ivan was still asleep. Joe had lost track of the conversation, and was staring at the ground, hands in his pockets, extremely troubled about his recent dreams. Without realizing it, he walked right into someone, and jumped back with wide eyes as they said excitedly, "Oh my gosh, I'm sorry!"  
  
"No, I'm sorry, it was my fault...wasn't paying attention," Joe mumbled, glancing after his comrades, who had stopped and looked back at him and the woman he'd run into. Looking about twenty-five, she was wearing a calf-length beige skirt and top, with a light coat over it, obviously a business woman. Carrying a bag of what looked like groceries, she stared at him from behind rimless glasses, her red hair tied back at the base of her neck, and her auburn eyes bright and apologetic. Francoise and Dr. Gilmore came back to join Joe, and the woman glanced over them with a saluatious smile.  
  
"Why, hello!" she said, shaking Francoise's hand, then Dr. Gilmore's. She paused for a moment, looking at him closely, "...Do...I know you from somewhere?"  
  
"That's not unlikely," Dr. Gilmore said with a smile, "I seem to recognise you as well."  
  
"Oh, well...what a lovely child!" she said, looking at Baby Ivan. "Is he yours?" she asked Francoise, who blushed heavily.  
  
"No, he's my...younger brother," she returned. "I'm Francoise, by the way."  
  
"Oh, I'm terribly sorry! Making rude assumptions and I haven't even properly introduced myself! I'm Mitzuko Biako, I work with Cherub & Co. Technologies."  
  
"This is Joe Shimamura, and this is Dr. Gilmore," Francoise said, "Oh, and this little guy is Ivan."  
  
"It's nice meeting you all..." Mitzuko glanced at her watch, and her eyes widened, as she continued, "But I have to be going! Oh, dear...she'll be waking up soon..." She waved goodbye as she ran off, her high heels leaving a slight clicking in 003's ears.  
  
"Well that was strange," she commented, then looked at 009, "Joe? Are you all right?" Joe nodded.  
  
"I'm gonna go take a walk, I'll meet you guys at the Dolphin," he mumbled, then turned and went down a side road, heading toward the cathedral.  
  
003 looked after him, a sad expression on her face, when Dr. Gilmore laid a hand on her arm, "He'll be all right, don't worry."  
  
"Yes, I know..." she said, looking at him with a small smile. "I just wish he wouldn't be so secretive about his troubles..."  
  
"It's a problem with us men," Dr. Gilmore said wisely, "We're too strong-willed and dominant too let our emotions show." Francoise blinked twice, and covered her mouth to hide her giggling. Dr. Gilmore looked at her with a raised eye brow, "What? I'm serious!"  
  
"I'm sure you are, Doctor," she laughed, walking away from him. He looked after her confusedly, shrugged, and followed.  
  
Joe was at the church before even he realized it. Being here brought a sort of comfort to his troubled soul, even through his recent nightmares. For a short while, he just leaned against the fence, staring at the rubble and trying to sort out the past few days in his mind. As preoccupying as the nightmares themselves were, something else was bothering him...but in a good way. Francoise and her kiss, even though an innocent one, were jumbling his thoughts as much as Kohana's presence in his dreams. But then again, he wasn't about to argue with it, or the feelings it gave him. Feelings...how could a weapon feel? It was just confusing, and it hurt his head to think about it, so he tried to clear his mind, shaking his head and going to kneel by the old swingset.  
  
It should have been obvious, but he wasn't alone. When he bitterly realized this, he looked up at the other presence, and groaned, "This must mean I'm dreaming again..." Kohana was curled up at the base of the tree nearby, eyes wide and staring ahead, arms wrapped around herself, knees pulled to her chin. She was lying on her side, looking like she usually did, but with two differences. Her eyes, though as innocent as he remembered, were surprisingly cold and dark, and she wasn't smiling her confused little smile. He walked over to her, and, to his relief, saw her chest rising and falling with her breath "So you're not dead yet, huh?" he asked a bit annoyedly. "That's a relief. How many times must I have this dream?" She continued to stare, and his eyes narrowed as he dropped down to his knee, and lifted her so he could see her eye to eye. "Are you listening? Kohana?"  
  
At the sound of her name, her eyes moved to meet his, then widened in fear. She jumped back out of his arms, flattening herself against the trunk of the tree, muttering under her breath, "Pl-please don't h-hurt me..."  
  
"Wha-? Look, I'm not going to hurt you. Don't you remember me? I'm Joe!" he sighed with frustration, "Why am I bothering? It's just a stupid dream..." Kohana's visible eye looked up at him, its icey blue piercing his soul as he gulped. "I...think it's a stupid dream..."  
  
"Kohana!" a cry echoed into the yard from the streets as someone ran toward the church. "Kohana! Are you here?" Joe looked toward the gate, and saw the red-haired woman, Mitzuko, appear in the gateway, looking frantically around until she spotted him with the child. "Oh, Kohana!" she cried, running forth and scooping the child up in her arms, rocking her back and forth. "It's all right, I've found you..." Looking up at Joe, her eyes widened, "Well, what a surprise..."  
  
"Who exactly are you, anyway? Why's she like that?" Joe asked, gesturing at the girl.  
  
Mitzuko looked down at the child in her arms, and shook her head sadly, "It's a long story..." Kohana peered up at Joe, then, slowly, her tiny hand reached up for him. "Oh...whoa, she's usually frightened of strangers...do you mind?" Mitzuko asked, handing Kohana to Joe. "She seems to know you...somehow..."  
  
"I've had nightmares of her." He didn't know why he said it, but it had slipped out before he realized it. "It always seemed so real, I never thought I'd actually meet her...I think I'm meeting her...I might be asleep now..."  
  
"No, you're very much awake." Mitzuko sighed, seemingly undaunted by Joe's story. "Look, I don't know how to tell you this. Your dreams...the reason they seemed so real was because...well, they were sort of real...like memories..."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"Oh, how can I explain it to you?" she asked, pondering for a moment. Her eyes lidded, and she shook her head at herself, "There's no other way..." She looked up at him, then, to his surprise, said, "009, I worked for Black Ghost at the time you were enhanced...and I was creating Kohana." 


	5. Chapter Four

Chapter Four...  
  
lol, sorry for the suspense^_^;;; Thanks for the reviews! Here 'tis!  
  
"No way!" Joe was still shaking his head in disbelief as he followed Mitzuko to town square, going over what she had just said again over and over in his head. "It's not possible! She can't be...can she?"  
  
"She very well can, and is," Mitzuko said over her shoulder, "She was the first, and last, successful project of Operation Cyborg Soldier 01, a more modified version of the 00 Cyborgs. Unfortunately, I was blackmailed into modifying Kohana; she'd been picked up by some of Black Ghost's favorite soldiers, who also had a little mishap and killed her parents. They wounded her with a gunshot in the process, which is the main reason I didn't refuse the modification. She was dying, we had to work quickly. After we finished, Kohana was sent to Black Ghost for his approval. He laughed at her design and her age. You see, she had an almost completely human body, she had blood, and all the vital organs of a human. The only real cyborg body she had was the metal skeleton and a few parts here and there. Black Ghost was satisfied with her powers, even though, in his eyes, she was a failure. That's when I couldn't take it anymore. They were going to destroy Kohana then used the notes I took on her abilities to create a more functional cyborg. So I took the plans, notes, and Kohana, and fled here.  
  
"Unfortunately, Black Ghost had foreseen my rebellion, and told the soldiers to follow me. They never found me, after the first month I supposed they gave up. But one day, they found Kohana, playing on the sidewalk in front of that church..." Mitzuko paused a moment, skipping what had obviously happened, then continued, "When I found Kohana, she was inches from death inside the rubble of the church. She had severe head trauma, and had been shot several times in the throat and chest. They even detached one of her legs, and left her for dead." Mitzuko shuddered as she remembered the injuries she'd seen, and Joe remembered how in both of his nightmares Kohana had been killed with a gun shot to the throat, and a head injury. "I repaired her, however, and brought her back. It wasn't surpring that, when she recovered, she naturally feared people. Even other cyborgs couldn't get close to her, she'd allow no one to touch her but me."  
  
"So what's all this got to do with me dreaming about her?" Joe asked curiously.  
  
"009...there's something that you were never told. Not even Dr. Gilmore knows about it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Well, our operation was top-classified; only Black Ghost and the two other scientists on my team knew about it. You see, Black Ghost wanted a way to enter the minds of his victims, and as you know, 001 was out of the question. So we had to create a sort of Dream Maker...and we found a way. With Kohana's remaining blood, plus the blood Type AB positive, and a mental stimulating chip, we could create Kohana's mind with a subconscious reactor: she was able to bring people from their current surroundings and into her dreams, if she was connected to them. She could also create illusions to defend herself. But we couldn't find the blood that we needed."  
  
"So what did you do?" Joe asked, feeling something big was about to be explained.  
  
"We took the blood we needed from a nearby laboratorey. A few doctors were working on the most recent 00 Cyborg, and since he was still human, we could find out what Blood Type he had. It was a match. The blood we took...was from you, 009," Mitzuko explained, stopping and turning to look into his eyes. "Which almost makes you 01's older brother...her father, even." Joe was dumbfounded. It was his blood that made this little girl a cyborg. Great. As if he didn't have enough problems.  
  
"And that's how I got sucked into Kohana's nightmares...because she has my blood in her," Joe concluded.  
  
"Yes, that's exactly how." Joe stood there, trying to let all of this sink in. It all made sense, actually. If he was dissapearing from the Dolphin into Kohana's dreams, of course the others would be worried that he was using Acceleration in his sleep. And Kohana asking him to remember her was also just explained; she was almost his own daughter. Boy, did he have a lot of explaining to do.  
  
Tightening his arms around Kohana, he sighed, and said, "Mitzuko, is it all right if I take her with me tonight? I promise we'll settle all of this tomorrow, I just feel like I could at least give her a few hours of my time..."  
  
Mitzuko nodded, and smiled, "Of course you may. Just have her in bed by eight o' clock. She tends to get cranky if she's awake for too long."  
  
Joe nodded, and, finally allowed to use his Acceleration, dissapeared in a speedy flash toward the Dolphin. Mitzuko looked after them for a moment, then lowered her head, "Goodbye, Kohana." Her eyes were out of view, and she called out to the darkness, "I know you've come to kill me. You can come out now."  
  
"Smart woman, good of you not to run," said a deep, growling voice. An arm grabbed her waist, and led her quietly into the dark alleyway.  
  
The silenced gunshot was easily mistaken, even to 003, as a backfire of a muffler.  
  
Okay, everyone hates me right now...right? I'm sorry, I had to end the chapter here...I know it's really short...but I promise to have the next chapter up soon!! ^^;; Okay? So put away all those ugly weapons...wait, that one too! AAAHHH!! *skimpers off running from the holder of the pistol* 


	6. Chapter Five

Chapter Five-  
  
lmao, major cutsie moments in here...some sorta father/daughter ones, and definitely a 009/003 one! ^_^ And, since you've all mentioned the reactions...I've written reactions! Go figure!  
  
009 stopped outside the Dolphin, looking down at Kohana, who slept in his arms. She looked almost peaceful at the moment, so he figured she was having a nice dream. He smiled at her, and went aboard the ship.  
  
"Oh, there you are, 009!" Dr. Gilmore said, then froze as he observed the girl Joe was carrying in his arms. "And who's this?"  
  
Joe chuckled, "Um...Doctor, this is Kohana...and I have a lot to explain to you..."  
  
Some Time Later...  
  
"No way!" Jet cried, jumping out of his seat. Francoise was staring at Joe, lost for words, as Jet continued, "So, Doctor, is this why 009's been dissapearing in his sleep?"  
  
"It seems so, 002," Dr. Gilmore said, calm as a cucumber, "Although I must say, this is quite a development. So that's how I knew that woman; I'd seen her at the lab!" Joe nodded, resting his chin on his fist.  
  
"But what about Kohana?" asked Francoise, speaking for the first time in a few minutes, "Is she going to stay with 009, or with Mitzuko?"  
  
Joe quickly elaborated, "We're going to decide that tomorrow, I just wanted to get your opinions first...do you think, if Mitzuko allows it, would it be all right if Kohana stays with us?"  
  
"It'd be fine with me," Dr. Gilmore said, and everyone else, but 001, who was napping again, agreed.  
  
"It'll be lovely to have a young face around here!" G.B. said, "I kind of miss the children from my theater..."  
  
Jet agreed, "Yeah, the kids at the Bronx were great. Always willing to listen to stories about ol' beaten down cyborgs like us..." He was remembering Kathy while he said this.  
  
"Do you think she'll like us?" Francoise asked curiously.  
  
"I don't know, Mitzuko said she's kind of fearful of people in general," 009 told her.  
  
"That's to be expected, seeing what she's gone through." Albert thought for a moment, then continued, "Of course, since she's still so young, she may get used to people, depending on how we influence her."  
  
"She will be all right," 005 said, surprising them with his words as he usually did. "The girl is, after all, nearly 009's daughter. She will be fine."  
  
"In that case, it's pretty good news that we kept that extra room free," 002 said.  
  
"If Mitzuko lets us keep her," Joe commented worriedly. As little as he would have admitted it, it was almost exciting, the thought of raising a child. Resisting a blush, he let his mind continue his unfinished thought, 'Raising a child with Francoise...' Joe was glad, most of them seemed to be excited about Kohana...hopefully she would stay.   
  
They continued conversing for about half an hour, when a small sound came from the doorway. Francoise heard it, being the only one who could, and looked over to see Kohana standing in the doorway, her ice blue eye staring around at the strangers. Without further hesitation, she grinned, and stood up, saying, "Well hello there!" as she went to the doorway to greet the child, and the others looked over.  
  
Kohana looked up at Francoise as she kneeled beside her, and backed away a step, hand resting on the doorframe. She looked to Joe, wide eyes questioning, and he nodded, "It's okay, Kohana, these are some of my friends." Looking over the group of people again, Kohana's lip trembled, and she whimpered.  
  
"M...Mitzuko?" she asked, looking right at Joe.  
  
"All of us are going to see Mitzuko tomorrow, Kohana," Joe replied with his patient smile, going and kneeling in front of her, beside Francoise. "Until then, are you okay with staying here?"  
  
"Mmm," Kohana looked around, and his eyes landed on Francoise, who smiled at her sweetly. "Okay..." she continued in a small voice. She took Francoise's hand, and followed her over to the couch, other hand in Joe's. They sat down, and everyone introduced themselves to Kohana, who looked at each of them curiously. When she looked at Dr. Gilmore, she smiled, "I remember you."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"You got kidnapped from the laboratory right before Mitzuko brought me home," she said. Then shuddered, obviously remembering what happened after she came home.  
  
"Well that's strange," Jet said, "Thought you said she doesn't remember-" Joe interrupted him with a look, as Kohana looked at him, eyes wide.   
  
"Don't remember? Don't remember what?" she asked, voice trembling and naive.  
  
"Nothing, Kohana, nothing," Joe said, continuing to glare at Jet as he picked up Kohana. "What do you say we get you tucked in, hm?"  
  
"Okay," she said, rubbing her eyes, "But I'm not sleepy."  
  
"Yeah, right..." Joe turned back to the others, "Anyone wanna help?"  
  
"I will!" Francoise volunteered, earning looks from the rest of them. Blushing, she quickly made up an excuse, "I have to tuck in 001, anyway." Picking up the baby, she followed Joe and Kohana to the girls' rooms. After tucking in the children, Joe and Francoise met in the hall.  
  
"Thanks for helping," Joe said with a smile, wrapping an arm around her waist to escort her to her room.  
  
"It was no trouble at all," she returned, blushing. Reaching her door, she sighed and turned to him, "Good night, Joe." Kissing him on the cheek, she quickly went into her room, leaving him to touch his cheek and grin after her.  
  
"Good night...Francoise..."  
  
Okay, getting short on ideas. Tell me, what would you all like to happen? *listens with hands folded and chin resting on knuckles* Come on, fess up! 


	7. Chapter Six

Chapter 6-  
  
(Ideas inspired by YOU!!)  
  
Thanks for the suggestions, those of you who made them^_^ And yes, Q.o.D, I do like that idea^_^ Gracias mucho! I'll make that soon.  
  
Kohana awoke before anyone else, and decided in her childish curiousity, to explore the Dolphin. She went into the kitchen, opening each drawer until she came to one with things she didn't recognise. Pulling out what most adults would know was a butcher knife, she looked at it, head cocked to the side, then threw it behind her, where it sank to the handle into the wall. She shut that drawer and moved on to the cupboards, finding plates and cups and spices. One of the spices read 'Old Bay.' Kohana blinked, then sprinkled a bit of it onto her finger and tasted it. It took a good second for her eyes to widen and her mouth to burn, but in that second she was spitting out the icky stuff and putting the container back. Shaking her head and airing out her tongue, she left the kitchen and went onto the bathroom.  
  
Underneath the bathroom sink, Kohana found a bunch of beauty supplies. One of them was a tall metal can with a small white trinket on the top that you had to push to make the can work. Pointing it towards her face, she pushed the trinket, only to release hair spray into her eyes. Dropping the can to the ground, she jumped up and down, rubbing her eyes and wondering who would keep something as dangerous as that around anywhere. After she could see again, she decided to not get into any more stuff in here, and went to the cockpit. The Dolphin was resting on a mountain peak above Tokyo, in silent mode. Kohana looked at all of the controls, and went over to one, eyes wide.  
  
The control button said "Self Destruct." Kohana looked at it very curiously for a second, then reached out to touch it...  
  
"I don't think so, Little Miss," said Jet, picking up the girl. She looked up at the man holding her, and squealed, kicking him below the belt and jumping to the ground as he doubled over. He looked up at her with one eye closed, "That was cold."  
  
"Hmph," she said, crossing her arms and sticking her nose in the air. Jet returned the look, getting an idea.  
  
"Hey, kid, whaddaya say we make you into a little warrior before we go visit your Miss Mitzuko?"  
  
"Huh?" Kohana asked, wrinkling her nose and furrowing her eye brows. "Uh...okay..." she said, blinking some.  
  
"Cool kid," Jet thought aloud, nodding at her and taking her outstretched hand, "We'll make you into the second strongest, coolest, and smoothest cyborg around!"  
  
"Who's the first?"  
  
"Me, duh," Jet said, laughing at her naive question.  
  
"Oh...okay...I thought Papa was..." Kohana said.  
  
"Papa?! Oh, you mean 009!" They arrived at the training room on the Dolphin, and Jet put up some of his favorite obstacles. "Okay, just run around using this-" He handed her a blaster. "-to shoot down the things that pop up at you. Got it?" Kohana looked at him as if he were crazy.  
  
"Eh...sure..." She poised herself on the edge of the course, but someone different picked her up, and behind her, 002 was laughing nervously.  
  
"I don't think you'd be doing that," Joe said, glaring at Jet. "And I don't appreciate you trying to teach her how to be a weapon...I thought that's what we didn't want to be at all."  
  
"Sorry 009," Jet mumbled.  
  
"And besides that," Joe said, eyes brightening with good nature. "I am the strongest, coolest, and smoothest cyborg. And don't you forget it! Now, let's go see if the rest of the guys are ready to go, so we can talk to Mitzuko, whaddaya say, Kohana?"  
  
Kohana nodded, and smiled at her 'Papa.'  
  
"Okay then."  
  
Yeshness....a bit of un-modestness from 009. I've always wanted to see that....okay, any more suggestions? ^_^ 


	8. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven-  
  
0.0 Never thought I'd get such feedback!! Thanks everyone! I know you all, you're awaiting the 'finding Mitzuko's body' crap...so this is that chappie! Be prepared...and afraid...^___^  
  
Oh, and I'm using all of your suggestions, every single one, in the next few chapters...^_^;;; So, yeaaah....thanks^_^  
  
It was time to go get Mitzuko, and Dr. Gilmore and Joe had decided it would be better to go alone and bring her to the Dolphin to discuss future custody of Kohana. Since the other cyborgs wanted to go see Dr. Kezumi before they had to leave, andsince 007 was stuck at the Dolphin with a bit of a cold, Kohana would stay at the Dolphin with him.  
  
003 was in her room, contemplating over the fact that Joe almost had a daughter. As difficult as it was to believe that a weapon could nearly have a daughter, it was very believable that he as a man could. He was always so kind and gentle and protective...  
  
She found herself blushing as her thoughts continued onto the fact that she'd like to be the one to help him raise Kohana. She put a hand to her cheek, sighing dreamily, and looked out the window, just as 001 awoke.  
  
'Maybe you shouldn't think about such things so freely,' he teased her. She spun around to look at him, blushing bright red.  
  
"I-I was j-j-just thinking...th-that it'd be nice to have a child...of my own," she stammered, having very little time to think up a better excuse.  
  
'Riiight, I'm sure you were.'  
  
"Well, let's go. I'm sure the others are waiting..." 003 said, still a little flustered at Ivan's ability to listen in on her private thoughts. She picked the baby up, and gave him a look, "And if you ever tell anyone about this..."  
  
'Scout's honor!' 001 said, raising his two fingers.  
  
"All right then...I trust you," she said with a smile. Someone knocked on the door lightly, and Francoise looked up as Kohana poked her head into the room. "Oh, hey, sweetie...what's the problem?" she asked, going over to kneel in front of Kohana.  
  
"Nuthin'," Kohana answered, "Just everybody's lookin' for ya."  
  
"Oh, all right...would you be a dear and tell them I'm on my way?"  
  
"Yes'm." Kohana nodded sharply, and hurried ahead of her. Francoise smiled after the girl...indeed, she was a lot like Joe. Francoise just hoped that she could be involved with both father and daughter's lives...that was all she wanted at the moment.  
  
  
  
"See you guys later!" Joe said, waving at the departing group as they headed to Dr. Kizumi's house. He turned to Dr. Gilmore. "Ready?"  
  
"Yes, I'm ready, 009." He turned to 007, who was holding the hand of Kohana. "Are you sure you'll be all right watching her, 007?"  
  
"Sure, we'll be fine, won't we, Kohana?" he asked, sending a sidelong glance at the child.  
  
"Mm hm!! Just peachy!" she cried. Joe looked hesitant to leave, but was surprised when the little girl dropped 007's hand, and ran up to give him a hug. "Bye Papa! Please hurry back with Ms. Mitzuko. I miss her!" Joe smiled at her warmly.  
  
"I will, I promise," he said, not knowing that his promise was broken before he made it.  
  
Joe knocked on Mitzuko's door yet again, looking from his watch to Dr. Gilmore. They'd been there for nearly fifteen minutes, and were both getting worried. Finally, Joe said, "That's it. Something's wrong. I'm going to go in the back and see what I can find."  
  
"Fine, but be careful," Dr. Gilmore warned. "Don't be going into the bathroom or anything...that might be more dangerous than anything else..." He was speaking from personal experience of course, not that he'd ever admit it or anything...^_~  
  
"Right." 009 sped around the building and went into a back window. Looking around, he saw that he was in the kitchen, and walked into the room on his left. It was the living room. After a moment of getting used to the darkness of the room, he saw a light switch near the kitchen door, and flipped it on. It was to the expense of his promise to Kohana that he did. There, lying on the couch, was the pale body of Mitzuko. Her eyes were open wide, looking iced over. and her mouth in a tight firm line. Her white face was contorted with determination, and she looked as if she'd been moved into her apartment after her death. Blood was drying around a small hole in her chest, and dripped down from her lips, its scarlet color staining her beige suit. Joe looked away, and went to the door, opening it and looking at Dr. Gilmore with estranged eyes.  
  
"Oh, my..." the doctor gasped. He immediately called 911, and left the reciever off of the base as he and 009 left the body there. They both knew better than to get involved with this; Black Ghost's name was all over it, and it was bad enough that he wanted them dead; he might get them improsined as well.  
  
"I left her for just three seconds, I swear I did..." 007 mumbled to himself, looking around with his hands on his hips. It was true, he had taken his eyes off of Kohana for just a second, but she had dissapeared in that second. "Kohana!" 007 called out. "Where'd you go?" Walking into the kitchen, 007's eyes widened *I hope you like this, Q.o.D^_~) There, sprawled across the table, was a trail of peanut butter...spread over 006's recipie book and 002's favorite jacket. Also, 005's so-called 'Nature Wine' was all over the two items, and the walls. 003's diary and ballet photo book were lying open on the counter, with fingerprints everywhere. 007 groaned, about to clean up the mess, when a noise from the little sitting room the group had created distracted him. He went into there, but instead of finding Kohana, he found 008's favorite fishy pajamas torn up by 004's knife collection...the knives all going dull because of the fact that the room was flooded with water. The water was coming into the room from under the bathroom door, and 007 fearfully opened it. Where there was once a bathroom, there was now an ocean. Apparently, Kohana could do much more damage than any amount of the combined powers of all the cyborgs in the galaxy. Dr. Gilmore and 001's famous sand-bottle (ooc: you know, the little weird bottles filled with multi-colored sands?) had been dumped onto the floor, some of 003's PRIVATE things were stuffed into the bathtub, which was running, and had obviously caused the flood, and it got worse. 009's blue vest was hanging in tattered shreds in the sink, covered with whipped cream, hairspray, shaving cream, and cut up with the razors that were spread all over the place.  
  
"How could a little girl do all of this in just a few minutes' time?" he wondered aloud, then heard a sound from the most dreaded- his room. Running, not walking, there, he threw open the door to see the most incredible sight in all of the history of incredible sights. Kohana, snuggled in a bed of all of the clothing 007 possessed, was sleeping peacefully, looking like a little angel. 007 gaped at her, mouth open and hanging to the floor, arms and shoulders slumped, as she mumbled in her sleep and turned over, her black hair slightly astray but besides that, looking perfectly clean, and like she hadn't done anything.  
  
Blinking, 007 then walked around, inspecting the rest of the ship. In an intreval of five minutes, the tiny four-year-old girl had damaged 009's room, tp'd the cockpit, and drawn all over the hallway walls and doors. "Uh, yeah, does anyone know a thirty second clean-up crew?" 007 wondered aloud, noticing out the window that everyon but 009 and Dr. Gilmore were returning.  
  
When the door opened, and 003 stepped inside, she screamed. And screamed. And threw several random objects at 007 as she chased him down, intent upon killing him.  
  
HEEE! Okay, the calling 003 Mother suggestion will be comin' soon^_~ Thank you all so much for the ideas, very inspiring! Keep up the reviewing, I'll keep up the insanity! ^_~ Gotta jet...no pun intended. 


	9. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight-  
  
Ooooookay, you're all in for a treat on this one. Thanks for all of the suggestions. But at the beginning...you know what, what am I telling you for? You could read the damn thing and get just as much information. *hits self over head* Duh, Aamy.  
  
Okay, read on!  
  
The child lay there curled up in 009's lap, crying into his chest. But there were no sobs, no racking breaths. Just silence as tears poured onto the front of Joe's blue vest, soaking into it and wetting his chest. The other cyborgs all looked a bit downcast, then Kohana looked up to meet Joe's sad eyes, and said in a small voice, "But you promised..."  
  
"I know I did. I'm sorry, Kohana. Miss Mitzuko...can't come and see you anymore," he explained, keeping Mitzuko's death subtle for the four-year-old.  
  
"Why not?" Kohana asked, eye brows furrowed.  
  
"...Because some of her old co-workers had to talk to her," Joe said quietly, voice on the edge of anger. Kohana nodded understandingly, and looked down.  
  
"Black Ghost did it, then...didn't he?" Everyone looked at her wide-eyed. They didn't know she knew about Black Ghost. Joe, not knowing what else to do, nodded reluctantly. "I don't like him...he's the one who...made me like I am."  
  
"He did the same to all of us, Kohana," Albert said softly. The girl looked at each of them, then her eyes landed on Ivan.  
  
"Miss Mitzuko told me about it once. But she said it doesn't matter how we change...in the end, we're all human by heart."  
  
"Then Mitzuko was really a good person," 003 said with a smile. Kohana looked at her, and nodded with a small smile of her own.  
  
"Yep, she was. And that's how she'd want us to remember her, isn't it, Papa?" she asked, looking at Joe.  
  
"I'm sure it is." Kohana gave him a childishly naive look of determination.  
  
"Then that's my own mission now," she said, "I'm going to make the people who loved Miss Mitzuko remember her how she was. A good person..." Her eyes grew lidded, and she stifled a yawn as Joe cradled her closer, waiting for her to fall asleep. Two more yawns and a bit of the adults conversation later, she was sound asleep.  
  
"She's a good little girl," 002 commented, getting strange looks from everyone and blushing. Looking away, he added, "When she's not a living terror."  
  
007, whom was wrapped in bandages from head to toe, snorted in agreement. Joe stood up to tuck Kohana in, but 005 said, "It may be best to keep the child with us tonight..."  
  
"Good idea, 005..." Joe lay Kohana down on the couch, and covered her up with her new favorite blanket that 005 and 008 had given her.  
  
"009, what exactly did you say Kohana's powers are?" Dr. Gilmore asked suddenly. Joe looked over at him, and settled on the arm of the couch.  
  
"Well, Mitzuko said she has the power to pull people into her dreams, and to make her dreams real. There's a specific phrase for it, but I can't remember..."  
  
"Dream Telepathy?" Ivan offered.  
  
"That's it!...Hey, you're awake!"  
  
"Yeah, it's really difficult to get a little shut eye when the girl's troubled thoughts are disturbing even my sleep..."  
  
003 looked up at him confusedly, "Please elaborate?"  
  
"Well, being as we're both basically telepaths, she controlling the subconscious, I controlling the conscious, if one of us sleeps the other picks up on their dreams...she has quite horrific ones..." he said with a shudder.  
  
"Could we use this to our advantage? I mean, she's still a kid, yeah," 002 said, catching 009's look of annoyance, "But she's sort of capable of making her dreams real. Could she dream of Black Ghost's whereabouts?"  
  
"Probably, but not right now, 002," Dr. Gilmore said. "She's had a most traumatic time of it, according to Mitzuko...we'd better just let her bid her time on her own, for now. But, if it's all right with you, 009, I would like to run some tests on her, to see exactly how far her powers can go."  
  
"It's not my decision, it's hers," 009 said, a sort of paternal tone to his voice. 003 studied him for a moment, wondering how the presence of a child could make him change so much. Instead of the quiet, shyly boyish man he was, he could now be called a quiet, fatherly one. As little as anyone could tell it, he was growing attached to Kohana, and hopefully...blushing, she looked away quickly.  
  
"Well, seeing as Kohana's taken the time to rest, you all probably should too, from what I understand, she's quite a force to be reckoned with," Dr. Gilmore chuckled, glancing at 007.   
  
"I agree with him!" 006 exclaimed, jumpuing up from a doze off. Everyone filed out, leaving 009, 003, and the sleeping Kohana.  
  
"Aren't you going to bed, Joe?" Francoise asked with a note of worry.  
  
"Nah, I think I'll keep an eye on her for a little while longer," he replied, looking down on Kohana with a strange glint in his eye. "I know what it's like to lose someone who's important to you...she might need me later." Francoise smiled then, and went over to him to hug him. His eyes widened slightly, but his arms wrapped around her waist, returning the hug.  
  
"It's nice to see you so close to her," she whispered in his ear. A shiver ran down his spine, and his arms held her more firmly. "It makes me...happy that you can have someone to be close to..."  
  
Kohana whimpered in her sleep, making both of them jump. Blushing furiously, Francoise stood and backed away, saying, "Well, I guess I should go to sleep...good night, Joe..." With that she turned and sped out of the room almost as fast as Joe's Acceleration could have been. He just stared after her, heart pumping at a thousand miles an hour.  
  
"Um...what just happened there?" he asked no one in particular, blinking and blushing almost as badly as Francoise. Then Kohana whimpered again, turning his attention to her. The girl curled up into a fetal position, and he kneeled beside her as she trembled.  
  
"Not..." she murmered. Joe's eyes narrowed as he leaned in to listen to her, "Not...a...killer."  
  
"Huh?" Her 'father' stood up, a confused expression on his face, and shook his head to himself. "Probably having another nightmare...poor kid." He again tucked the edges of Kohana's blanket around her, and sat down in the chair nearby, watching her with his chin resting on his fist, until he found himself on a cloud...with Francoise...  
  
Before he knew it, the sun had risen and Kohana was shaking him awake on his lap, "Papa, Papa!"  
  
"Hmmm...ugh....huh?" 009 murmered, sitting up and rubbing his eyes, "Kohana, what's the matter?"  
  
"Papa, I had a really bad dream then it was a really good dream and a lady told me that I could have a mommy again and my new mommy is Miss Francoise!" Kohana said excitedly. For a moment, Joe stared at her, then jumped.  
  
"Wh-what did you just say?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Miss Francoise gets to be my new Mommy! The lady said so!"  
  
"......." Joe shook his head clear of the cobwebs forming there, and asked, "Lady? Which lady?"  
  
"The lady with the wings and the pretty golden thing around her head and the harp and the long white dress and the-"  
  
"Okay, I think I get the picture...did she tell you her name?"  
  
"Gabrielle."  
  
"...Da-" Looking at Kohana, he finished. "...nimals. Do you like yogurt?"  
  
"YEAH!"  
  
"Okay, then...yogurt...yeah...um..." Joe took Kohana into the kitchen, and gave her a big bowl of yogurt. While she made Sonic the Hedgehog look like a non-eating fool, he thought to himself, 'Great...now she has angels telling her that 003 is supposed to be her mother...damn...' Remembering the big moment the night before, he blushed deeply. Kohana barely looked up from her yogurt-splattered face to tell him something before the entire ship shook, sending both Kohana and Joe to the ground. Seconds later, 002's voice sounded over the intercom.  
  
"Everyone, we're under attack here! Get to the cockpit NOW! Black Ghost's jerk-offs---err, I mean jerks, Kohana,---are here! Hurry up!"  
  
Joe scooped up Kohana, and went to the cockpit...where they all saw the hugest ship that man was capable of creating.... 


	10. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine-  
  
(To finish off the little Danimals scene...for those who didn't understand it...^^;;  
  
"...Da-" In his mind, the word was supposed to be 'damn it all,' but he remembered Kohana was there, and finished, "...nimals.")  
  
Okee, so, you've all stated, or at least, a few of you have, anyway, that you should have my head for that last cliffie...eheh...well, um, I'm kinda hoping to lengthen this chapter out a bit, so don't _seriously_ injure me, kay? ^__^ I really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really really appreciate all of your reviews, btw. Whoa, I can't believe I typed all those really's...yeah...caffeine....heh.  
  
Francoise was the last to the cockpit, but she'd heard the commotion before she even got there. Immediately, she told them, "It's a Black Ghost vessel; it's carrying enough firepower to demolish an entire country!" This didn't help things at all. Kohana, who was still a yogurty mess, looked around at everyone with wide eyes from where she stood beside Dr. Gilmore while they all rushed to their battle stations and started throwing controls. They were speeding away from the huge vessel before any of them knew it.  
  
Looking back on the radar told 009 that they were in trouble, "Uh, guys...it's keeping up with us. It's still right on top of us!"  
  
"In that case--anyone have a plan?" 002 asked quickly.  
  
"I do!" 007 shouted, then went to the back of the cockpit and held up a box of parachutes with his good arm. "Retreating doesn't sound too bad to me!"  
  
A frying pan landed on his head, and his attacker, 003, shouted, "007, you're such a coward!" 007 nodded with stars around his head.  
  
004 jumped in, "Kohana-!" 009 shot him a distressed and angry look. "Sorry, 009, but we have to involve her if you want her alive after this. Hey, kiddo," he said, waving Kohana toward him. She came obediently. "You know your power to make people dream?" With Kohana's nod, he finished, "You know what you can do to make them dream?" Slowly, but surely, an evil grin spread across her face.  
  
"Okay, I'll do it. Bye, Papa; bye, Mommy!" she waved at 009, then 003. Everyone shot questioning glares at the two, who were blushing furiously.  
  
Quickly, Joe explained, "An angel told her so, not me!" Still, there was a new tense silence in which he could have sworn the others were teasing him. "So what's Kohana doing anyway?" Francoise gulped a lump that was forming in her throat, barely able to keep her smile in check. She was finally part of the family, but the rather embarrassing outburst might just leave her scarred for one of the better intervals of her lifetime...  
  
"You'll see. Just concentrate on keeping us alive until she does," 004 said, a devious smile painting his face. The Viewscreen above them showed little Kohana coming out on the top of the Dolphin. First, Joe was highly in disagreement, as they were speeding like madmen in the ship, and she could be thrown off, but she showed surprising balance on the windiest part of the ship.  
  
Dr. Gilmore paid close attention, positive that they were about to see a portion of Kohana's power, and watched the small girl go right to the rear end of the ship, where the Black Ghost vessel was tailing them. Her pig tail braids whipped out from behind her, and she clutched the tail piece of the ship, squinting up at the other vessel. Then, with a rather naive grin, she closed her eyes, and held a palm up facing the vessel. Her entire body glowed a blue-ish color, and a crystalline wave washed over the entire huge ship. Suddenly, it started sinking in the air, falling rather slowly.  
  
Joe's jaw dropped. Never before had he seen one of Black Ghost's designs being lowered by brainwaves...it was rather startling to see Kohana's dream telepathy causing the operators of the ship to land it. Somehow, he realized, she must also have the power of making people sleep walk. Or else...how...?  
  
The Viewscreen blacked out, and Kohana returned onto the ship, rather beat. 009 got up and went to get her, while the others watched the ship land safely on the waters below. 002 was rather surprised, and finally, broke the silence by saying, "Okay...so I didn't have to train her to be a fighter-girl...hmm...too bad. I rather liked the idea..."  
  
"Oh, Jet, shut up," Francoise said with a pleasant tone.  
  
"Papa, I'm tired," Kohana said when Joe found her in the hall. He picked her up and cradled her close, rocking her gently back and forth.  
  
"Okay, you can take a break," he said gently, "Oh, and Kohana?" She opened one of her eyes to look up at him. "I'm proud of you." They exchanged a grin, and Joe took her to her room to tuck her in.  
  
Before he left her, though, she murmered sleepily, "Night, Papa...love ya..." There was a pause, and a wide smile played across Joe's features. When he glanced back at the little girl, she was sound asleep. He went back to the cockpit with the same somewhat childish grin plastered to his face, and got a few strange looks as he sat down.  
  
Then he became serious again, "So what happened with the Black Ghost ship?"  
  
"It...landed..." Dr. Gilmore said confusedly. "But before it did we caught a radio frequency that was going to-"  
  
"-the Bronx," Jet finished, glancing at Joe meaningfully. A while back, Jet (who couldn't keep a secret for long) ended up confessing to Joe (who just happened to be the innocent passerby) that he was in love with Kathy. But he also loved Jimmy like a son...so it was a bit awkward to find them going to the town where the two of them lived. Joe gave his friend an encouraging smile.  
  
"I see," he said.  
  
And you KNOW that 007 just had to bring THIS up, "So explain to us why Kohana's calling 003 Mommy again?" Catching embarrassed glares from both 'Mommy' and 'Papa,' 007 shrank back into his little corner of injury.  
  
'Now I suppose you two'll have to get married, huh?' From Dr. Gilmore's arms, little Ivan mentally smirked as Francoise rounded on him with a cold, sharp stare. 'What, it's true! It's un-civil where I come from to not be married and have a child.' When Francoise' glare intensified, Ivan giggled innocently. By this time, Joe was about three inches tall, or at least, that's how tall he felt. This conversation continued the entire trip to New York...  
  
~~~In the big huge vessel~~~  
  
"Are they gone?" the commander asked.  
  
"Yes, sir, should we terminate radio silence?"  
  
"No, the girl would hear it. Send a man to the boss with a message, though..."  
  
"What message?"  
  
"This one: Kohana, the stolen prototype 01, is with the enemy..."  
  
"Why would that appeal to him, sir?"  
  
"You don't know?"  
  
"Don't know what?"  
  
"Kohana's parents were both supposedly destroyed...but that wasn't true. Her mother did die, but her father's still alive."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"The kid is the boss's daughter."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The End! Not really, but...  
  
Anyway, sorry it took, oh, what, an entire week to get the chapter up? But I did...so, send me flame or send me compliment...uh, just...don't kill me just yet^^, kay? 


	11. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten-  
  
*Thoughts of Francoise and Dreams of Kohana*  
  
Yay! I'm working on it! Don't worry, this fic isn't *hopefully* going to turn out to be an epic...although it might help if I didn't make every chappie a CLIFFIE, huh? Well, as usual, thank you ALL for your reviews *_* I didn't expect, when I started this fic, to get reviews from such great authors! Some of you *cough, cough, Q.o.D, GoldAngel2, FiftycalMortar, cough, cough* will probably turn out to be going down in history one day! Oops, taking up too much time writing this...Lord knows, I don't wanna be hit with lazerbeams upon exitting my house because I didn't hurry and finish this chapter...n_n Oh, and by the way, I agree with those of you who say Kohana looks like Mini-Artemis...I guess I was kinda goin' for that...I don't really know, though...heh...  
  
~~~  
  
Cuando te adormeces junto a mi  
  
Entonces no me quedan dudas  
  
De que aun existe amor  
  
La indecisi¨Rn que hay en mi  
  
Yo la mandar¨ªa a la luna  
  
Para vivir contigo  
  
La soledad de cada d¨ªa  
  
Que entre l¨¢grimas crec¨ªa  
  
La alejar¨¦ de mi  
  
Para amarte a toda costa  
  
Para amarte a cada momento  
  
A pesar de tanto mal  
  
Que gira entorno nuestro  
  
Cuando te adormeces junto a mi  
  
Entonces no me quedan dudas  
  
De que aun existe amor  
  
S¨¦ que aun existe amor  
  
Las discusiones de los dos  
  
Saber qui¨¦n tendr¨¢ la culpa  
  
Que nos importa ya  
  
En nuestro mundo que es muy grande  
  
Carino m¨ªo nos amaremos  
  
Mucho mucho m¨¢s...  
  
M¨¢s all¨¢ de la violenc¨ªa  
  
M¨¢s all¨¢ de la locura  
  
A pesar de tanto mal  
  
Que no se acabar¨¢  
  
Cuando te adormeces junto a mi  
  
Entonces no me quedan dudas  
  
De que aun existe amor  
  
S¨¦ que aun existe amor  
  
S¨¦ que aun existe amor  
  
Para amarte a toda costa  
  
Para amarte a cada momento  
  
A pesar de tanto mal  
  
Que gira entorno nuestro  
  
Cuando te adormeces junto a mi  
  
Entonces no me que quedan dudas  
  
De que aun existe amor  
  
Francoise hummed along to the song as she worked in her room, tucking in Ivan and brushing her hair and thinking about the events that day. The memory of Kohana's proclaiming her as her 'mother' made her smile, a light blush coming onto her face. She didn't know why she was so indecisive about it, when she'd asked for it. She'd wanted to be the 'mother' in the Joe-Kohana situation. So why did she seem so nervous now whenever it was mentioned? Maybe...because Joe was?  
  
She sat down on her bed, pulling her robe around her nightgown. Yes, that had to be it. She didn't want Joe knowing how she...felt about him just yet. Because he was so busy with Kohana, and stressed at the fact that Black Ghost had survived their encounter, she thought it may be too much for him. Yet, she just had to admit it...she was in love with him. A warm smile came to her face at the thought.  
  
She loved Joe...so much, that she'd face any danger, go through any obstacle, just to be at his side. She even wanted to help him raise the child that had become so much like his own. She just wanted to be around him in general, to support him and to care for him. That was all. When she fell in love with Joe, she wasn't sure, but from the first time they'd met, and she'd been slightly annoyed by him asking, "Can you tell where they're coming from?!" she felt it. Growing steadily with every beat of their hearts. How, she didn't know. Maybe that was just how love was. Maybe it could gift anyone, man or cyborg, with its presence...  
  
With a small sigh, Francoise lay down, and closed her eyes, dreaming of only she knew who...  
  
Or did she? As soon as she thought she was seeing Joe...she wasn't seeing anything but black. Black and red and green...all whirling around her. What was going on? She realized she was floating...in a giant vat of water, and wearing an oxygen mask. Her eyes were closed. She tried to force them open, but the water was rushing by her too quickly. She couldn't even hear anything past the water spinning and gurgling around her. Except...laughter. Dark, malicious laughter, that shot shivers down her body and turned her blood cold. Black Ghost's laughter...  
  
The next thing she knew, she was being awoken by a terrible scream, Kohana's scream. Only she could hear it with her super-sensitive hearing, and was out of bed and running for the girl's room before she was even fully awake.  
  
Francoise opened the door to Kohana's room. The little Japanese girl was kicking and screaming in her sleep, "No, no let me go! Papa! Mommy! PAPA!!!" Tears were pouring down her face, and Francoise sat beside her and held her still.  
  
The French woman cooed, "It's all right, Kohana...wake up, darling..." Finally, the sobs grew less intense, and snifflings were heard as Kohana came out of her horrible nightmare.  
  
"M-Mommy?" she asked, eyes glazed as she looked up at Francoise, who cradled her closely. "Mommy, it was horrible!"  
  
"It's all right, Kohana, it was just a nightmare..." Francoise said with a smile, comforting the little girl the best she could, almost like her brother had when she was young. "Why was it so horrible, little Apollene?" (ooc: Apollene means sunshine or sunlight)  
  
"There was a man...he was dressed all in black with a cape and he called out to me, and he wanted me to come with him, he called me his daughter. I don't wanna be his daughter, Mommy, I'm your and Papa's daughter...aren't I?"  
  
"Yes, yes you most certainly are," Francoise said without hesitation, then hugged Kohana, "Kohana, all you have to remember is that, no matter how long we've known you, your Papa and I, and everyone on the Dolphin all love you. Just remember that, little Apollene, and you'll always come home to us...regardless of who tries to take you."  
  
"Okay, Mommy," Kohana said with a last sniffle.   
  
"Good, now, lay down and go back to sleep, all right?"  
  
"Mommy, could you stay with me until I fall asleep again?" Francoise chuckled; she'd been this way, too, when she was just a little girl.  
  
"Yes, my little Apollene...I'll stay right here," she promised. And she did just that, stayed until Kohana fell into a deep slumber, then stood and turned to go. Surprising her was the sight of Joe leaning against the doorframe. "Oh, Joe!" she whispered, going quickly over to him, "I didn't hear you!"  
  
"That's surprising," he whispered back, then nodded at Kohana, "You sure filled in your new role quickly." Francoise blushed at the statement, and shrugged.  
  
"Remember, I've always been a natural mother...I've had practice with Ivan," she answered sheepishly.  
  
"Sometimes, it seems like you've had practice with us all..." Joe muttered, making her eyes shoot directly to his. His golden-brown orbs were warm and inviting, and she grew nervous for a moment. What was he...why was he looking at her like that? Not that she didn't WANT it, but...it was...new. New, yeah...wait, what was she worried about a moment before? That look...oh, yeah...those eyes...that were turning her to jelly...  
  
"Well, I wouldn't say that, Joe," she finally managed to say back, leaning against the door to Kohana's room as she closed it. "I mean, you've done your share of dealing with us as well." Joe chuckled, then flashed her one of his brilliant smiles, which only managed to give her even more butterflies. "Uh...I suppose I should be going back to bed now..." She moved to go past him, but he held her arm. "Joe?"  
  
"Francoise, have you ever thought about...what Ivan said earlier...? About me and you?" he asked carefully. Francoise's eyes widened slightly. Did he mean...? "I mean, I don't even know why I bothered to bring it up, I just...I..." A moment of silence fell between them, and finally, he continued, "Oh, who'm I kidding...? Francoise...there's...something...I'd like to ask you."  
  
"Huh?" Francoise asked, continuously surprised.  
  
"Would you...that is...could you...go out to dinner with me when we land in New York?"  
  
"Wh-what?"  
  
"Please don't make me repeat it...it was hard enough asking the first time," he chuckled nervously.  
  
"Uh...I mean, sure...I'll go with you, Joe." Francoise gave him an ecstatic smile, and after a moment, said, "Well, good night, Joe." Then she practically zoomed to her room, locking it up and sitting down by the window. "I won't be able to sleep at all tonight..." she muttered.  
  
Auto-Pilot was engaged, so the light for their arrival blinked on just before dawn....  
  
~0~  
  
Yay! A date! Yay! A mother/daughter moment! YAY! 


	12. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven-  
  
*Two Dates, and a Duo of Children*  
  
Okay, a few things to say here:  
  
HAPPY BIRTHDAY GOLDANGEL2!!!!! I'm really looking forward to your next piece of artwork^_^, and I hope you have a lovely day Wednesday.  
  
As usual, I thank all of you for your wonderful *yet threatening* feedback, and I still hope not to make this an epic...^__^  
  
However, I tried to get this chapter done, unlike so many of the others, incredibly fast, so if you find any typos, please just ignore them and mention them in a review, which reminds me, *ahem*  
  
PLEASE KEEP REVIEWING YOU'RE ALL SO GREAT!!   
  
^__^  
  
~  
  
**The Lovely Li'l Town Known as the Bronx for Nickname Appeal**  
  
Everyone was sitting around the breakfast table, all but Kohana, Francoise, and Ivan, who were still waking up. Joe was sipping coffee, glancing occasionally at Jet, who was fidgeting shamelessly. Joe smiled, actually quite calm on the outside for someone that was going on a date with a woman who, in his opinion, was one of the most gorgeous people alive. G.B. and Chang were both fighting over who would be able to make better pancakes for Kohana and Ivan, and Dr. Gilmore was drinking his coffee while reading a newspaper, paying no heed to the ritualistic activity around him.  
  
Finally, Kohana ran into the kitchen, Francoise coming in behind her, carrying baby Ivan in her arms. Joe stared at Kohana and Francoise, thinking to himself, 'What a family I have...'  
  
Gleefully, Kohana shouted, "Goooood morning everybody!"  
  
A few chuckles met her outburst, and Geranimo kneeled down to help her into her chair. He handed her a small flower, that she grinned at him for, then he sat down beside of her. Joe got up, and offered Francoise his chair, which she took with a shy smile at him. Joe took the chair that was across from her, so that he sat on the other side of Kohana. Repeatedly, he and Francoise kept meeting each other's eyes and grinning nervously.  
  
Dr. Gilmore noticed this when he took Ivan to feed him, so Francoise could eat, and chuckled to himself. "So, we're in New York, everyone," he commented, giving Ivan his bottle. "What are you all planning on doing until we find the Black Ghost base here?"  
  
Joe smiled at Kohana, then Francoise, saying, "I have plans."  
  
Kohana grinned, and exclaimed, "Mommy and Papa have a date set!" Everyone looked at the couple, while Francoise blushed wildly and Joe just smiled with a calm look.  
  
"Nice observation, little Apollene," Francoise finally muttered. The rest of the crew beamed; they knew, eventually, that Joe and Francoise would get together, they had just been waiting and waiting for that special day.  
  
"That's nice," Chang said, then turned to Jet, "And what has you so nervous, 002?"  
  
"002's going to see his girlfriend!" Kohana exclaimed again, causing 002, whom up to this point, was drinking a glass of orange juice rather quickly, to choke and sputter, falling backwards in his chair. "See? He's really jumpy!"  
  
"Wow, Kohana," G.B. said, "You could be a matchmaker or something, couldn't you?"  
  
Kohana tilted her head to the side, frowning, "A matchmaker? What's that?"  
  
Dr. Gilmore chuckled, "A matchmaker, Kohana, is a person who gets two people together, and, depending on the chemistry between those two people, can one day attend their wedding."  
  
Again, Kohana looked confused, "Chemistry? What kinda chemistry?"  
  
Joe shook his head, and said, "THAT, little Missy, can wait for another day." Jet finally crawled back up to the table, and lay his head down in misery, watching Kohana as she looked at him and smile with an innocent glance.  
  
"What a bummer..." he said aloud. Everyone looked at him, "We have two kids onboard, and both of them can read minds..." He then looked up at the clock, and grinned, "Well, I'm off-"  
  
"To see your girlfriend!" Kohana finished for him, greedily attacking a pancake.  
  
Jet paused, looking at her, and sighed, "Yes, Kohana, to see my GIRLFRIEND...would you like to come along and tell her everything on my mind while you're at it?"  
  
"I'd like to, but I'm afraid you'd become embarrassed," Kohana said innocently, earning another fit of laughter from everyone but Jet, who just chuckled and waved at them.   
  
"Be back before dawn tommorrow," he shouted. The group exchanged a strange glance, then Francoise stood up.  
  
"Well, I'm going to go get ready...Kohana, dear, would you like to come with me..." Kohana looked at her from a massive amount of syrup, "...And maybe get cleaned up a little bit?"  
  
"Sure, Mommy!" As the two went off, Joe chuckled.  
  
"What's so funny, 009?" G.B. asked.  
  
"I was just thinking that I'd love to see Kohana try to stay CLEAN for one whole day."   
  
"Yeah, lucky for you, her 'Mommy' is going to keep her that way," Pyunma joked. Joe shrugged, wearing the same calm smile, before he, too, stood up.  
  
"I guess that's my cue to go get a book to read; I'd hate to get bored waiting for two women to get ready..." he commented, waving at the rest of them as he left the kitchen.  
  
Chang grinned, and sighed, "Ah, what it's like to be young and in love..."  
  
G.B.'s face grew shocked, and he said in awe, "006, you were both YOUNG AND in LOVE?? Whoa, what a thought..." Crashing and breaking glass sounded off in the kitchen, signaling yet another fight between the two cyborgs...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Joe, where are we going, anyway?" Francoise asked, tucking in Kohana, who'd fallen asleep watching her get ready. Francoise looked at Joe, who could only stare at her. The calm look on his face was replaced with something between shock and disbelief. For their big date, Francoise put her hair up in a French Twist (what else? lol) and wore a white strapless sun dress that accented her graceful curves rather well. Ever since he'd laid eyes on her when she'd left her room, Joe had been staring at her. "Joe?"  
  
"Oh, um, sorry," Joe said, finally snapping back to reality. He was wearing his traditional blue vest and white undersweater, with khakkis, and felt a little underdressed compared to her. "You were saying?"  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"Well, we're going--hey, wait, none of that, now!" Joe stopped himself, "I told you this morning it was a surprise!"  
  
"Oh, all right," Francoise sighed defeatedly, then smiled at him. He offered her his arm, and she took it accordingly, grinning as they left the sleeping girl's room and the Dolphin. Kohana waited until she knew they were well gone, opening one eye to look around mischeviously, then jumped up on her bed, crawling on her dresser, where her mommy had left the window open, and she could easily crawl out on the tree they were landed next to. Crawling down the tree was no problem, and she ran off, because, besides her mommy and daddy, she also had to make sure another match was properly made...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jet lifted his fist to knock on Kathy and Jimmy's door, then paused, his hand still clenched in midair. He sighed heavily, then went to knock again. This time, he froze because he heard something. Inside, he heard Jimmy running around, "Momma, Momma, look, I'm Jet!" A smile played across his features as he heard Kathy tell Jimmy to 'get off of that dresser because he'd kill himself, he didn't fly like Jet and he wasn't about to!'  
  
Finally, he gathered up the courage to knock on the door. "Coming!" Jimmy cried from inside, opening the door a few seconds later. For a moment, the two had a staring contest, then suddenly Jimmy cried out, "Oh MY GOSH!! MOM!!!" Kathy came running, and nearly collided into Jimmy's back, also looking bug-eyed at the sight of Jet.  
  
Finally, Jet gave them both his signature smirk, and chuckled, "So, you two gonna invite me in or we gonna sit here staring at each other all day?" In that instant two sets of arms flew around him; the first one around his neck, the second around his legs. "Whoa!" he cried, almost losing his balance as he wrapped an arm around Kathy and put his free hand on Jimmy's head.  
  
"Jet, you're finally home," Kathy whispered in his ear, then pulled away to wipe her tears and take Jimmy, drawing both of them inside. Jet grinned at the sound of that; home. Yeah, he supposed he was finally home, but, maybe, he could stay longer than before. Maybe he could make his new family a permanent one. Maybe...maybe they could finally beat Black Ghost, and get on with their regular lives.  
  
That was the first step, Kohana decided, watching her 'Uncle Jet' walk through the door to Kathy's apartment. She grinned; they'd be going to a restaurant right across the street from the one her Papa was taking her Mommy. This was a good thing; she could simultaneously check on both couples. Yes, very good. She nodded in finality, and turned around to skip off and find that restaurant.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Wow, Joe, this was really nice of you," Francoise commented, awestruck at the beauty of the restaurant. It was French; all of it. French food and French waiters and a funny French cook that looked suspiciously similar to Chang. Joe hadn't spoken the entire time, merely smiled at her whenever she said something and nodded. She was beginning to feel a bit uncomfortable, when finally, he took a deep breath.  
  
"Francoise..." he said, his voice failing its mission and breaking halfway through the word. "I..."  
  
"Yes, Joe?" Francoise asked, puzzled with his sudden articulation.  
  
"I...I've been wanting to speak to you about a few things," Joe finally managed to sputter. Francoise raised a curious eye brow, and leaned forward, intertwining her fingers and resting her chin on them as she leaned on her elbows. Glad to have her attention, he took a deep breath again, before continuing, "Well, like you know, Kohana's...forced me to think of a few things, and of how...how I feel toward you." Francoise's eyes widened a bit, but glittered with an untold emotion as she swallowed and listened closely, giving him all the time he needed but waiting ever-so-impatiently on the inside. He chuckled, and bashfully looked into her eyes, blushing, "And, I guess...well...I really don't know how to start this..." He laughed at himself half-heartedly, and again tried, "Okay, I'm going to get this out right if it kills me. Francoise, out of all the people I've known, it seems I can turn to you more than anyone. You seem to know everything about me; you can make me melt with just the slightest glance or word. Even before Kohana came, I always felt...warmth whenever I was with you. Like I could do anything, defeat any enemy, move a mountain, if I had to! All I wanted was for you to be by my side, in my sight. You and your lovely dance." Francoise held her breath now, chewing on the corners of her mouth. "I guess, what I'm trying to say is...is that...I'm in love with ya, Francoise."  
  
Her breath came out in a completely relieved sigh, and she smiled at him radiantly, which, as he'd just stated, made his insides melt and drop to his feet as he gazed into the emerald eyes he loved so deeply. Finally, she spoke, "Oh, is that so, Joe Shimamura?" The tone of her voice made his heart drop from his throat. He frowned, anxious for her to continue. "Well, it damn well took you long enough to say so." Her voice returned to its rich warmth, and she grinned, "Because I've been wanting to tell you the same thing for what seems like a century." The full meaning of her words sank into his brain, and his spirit soared again. They looked at each other, and he leaned forward, dropping a feather-light kiss on her lips. Her eyes widened, but before she could react, he stood up, holding out his hand to her and tilting his head to the dance floor.  
  
"May I have this dance, Madamoiselle?"  
  
Francoise looked at his hand, and followed it up to his face, smiling and sliding hers into his, "Oui, Monsieur, you may indeed." He took her to the floor, and spun her around in a waltz, the couple getting looks from everyone else, who commented on how graceful they were together.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jimmy followed his mother and Jet as they left the apartment, Jet was saying how much he'd missed them, and was about to treat them both to dinner, a movie, and ice cream, for Jimmy's benefit. He smiled, remembering how his mother and Jet had used to dislike one another, but had gotten somewhat closer when Kathy found out Jet's 'little secret.' It was amazing, how adults' minds worked, he contemplated. No matter how stubborn, strong, independent they were, they were always struck down in a bittersweet way by Lady Love. And she managed to take good care of these two, luckily for him. He didn't know what he would do if anything ever happened to his mother and his adoptive father.  
  
Just ahead, Jet and Kathy were getting quite quiet. In a nervous sort of way. Jet looked away, but his hand reached out, and intertwined with Kathy's. Surprised, she looked at their hands, then up at him, and he felt her return the pressure of his hand with a squeeze of her own, and glanced over at her with a smile. "Jimmy," he called, causing the child to run up to him.  
  
"Yes, Jet?"   
  
"Can you see anything from way down their, kiddo?" Jet asked. When Jimmy shook his head no, Jet smiled, and put the child up on his shoulder. Jimmy's eyes widened; New York was more beautiful from being up so high at night, especially when all the lights were lit and stars could just be seen twinkling above the sky scrapers. The full moon was looking down on them from afar, and Jet caught Kathy looking at it longingly. "You know, Kat, they say the full moon's the perfect time for love to bloom." Realizing he'd just said something MUSHY, Jet turned beet red, and looked away, and Kathy giggled at him girlishly.  
  
"Yes, Jet, I know," she said, surprising him by leaning into his side. He smiled, taking his hand from her and wrapping his arm around her, as others viewed their perfect little family, he thought he caught hints of envy from them. And he was proud of that. God Almighty, Jet was proud of people thinking he was the father of this family. He craved nothing more. He grinned up at the moon, partially thanking it for its beauty, partially thanking it for its timing. Now, Lady Love, if you could only help me control my own voice, we'll be pretty cool, won't we? Jet thought to himself. Somewhere, he felt, someone chuckled, and winked at him in return. Yes, Lady Love had many forms; the one form she had tonight was a small, black-haired child, that was just making sure her parents were fairing well, before checking on her uncle and, maybe, future aunty...  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Back at the Dolphin...  
  
Dr. Gilmore looked up at the clock, then listened to the rest of the crew. Something wasn't right. It was nearly eleven o'clock, Chang and G.B. were fighting over which movie they wanted to watch, Geranimo was holding Ivan, both watching the aforesaid fighting over a movie, Albert was reading a book, the rest of the ship was silent, the town below the ship, which was landed on an insignificant hill, a clock was ticking...wait, the rest of the ship was silent? Where was...?  
  
"Albert, would you check on Kohana?" Dr. Gilmore asked, brow etching with concern. "I haven't seen her for a while." Ivan smirked behind his pacifier. He knew exactly where the girl was, but he wasn't about to say that. He may have been a baby, but he was an eighty-some year old baby, and he knew that Kohana would be in DEEP trouble if the doctor and crew found out she'd run off. And, being a child himself, he also knew getting in trouble wasn't fun. At all.  
  
So, to calm their worries when Albert returned and reported a missing Kohana, Ivan spoke through a yawn, 'She's playing hide-and-seek. She'll wait for hours until Joe finds her.'  
  
"Just Joe, huh?" Geranimo asked suspiciously. The baby in his arms nodded, and everyone else shrugged, returning to their normal activity. Dr. Gilmore was the only one left uneasy about the idea of Kohana playing hide-and-seek in a battle ship, but he knew she'd be all right, so long as she stayed away from that damned Self-Destruct Button!  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jet and Kathy were talking at the ice cream cafe, and Jimmy was getting kind of bored. So he asked his mother, "May I go over there and play?" while pointing to a park just across the street.  
  
Kathy sighed, and said, "Oh, all right, but be back here in ten minutes, okay?"  
  
He nodded, and skipped off joyously. But when he was about to enter the park's gate, he crashed right into someone. Both of them fell back on the ground a bit dazed, before Jimmy said, "Hey, you! Watch yourse-" He was cut off when he met the cutest face he'd ever seen. The girl who returned his steady gaze was about three or four years younger than him, but, geesh, she was so freaking cute! He smiled sheepishly, standing and holding out a hand to help her up. "Sorry," he mumbled, surprised when she smiled at him.  
  
"No, I am sorry, it was my fault. I was in a hurry to find my Uncle Jet and make sure-"  
  
"Wait, your uncle Jet?" Jimmy asked, confused. "Jet doesn't have any brothers or sisters. How can he be your uncle?"  
  
"He doesn't have to be related to me to be my uncle!" the girl retorted hotly. Jimmy shrugged.  
  
"Well, he's over there with my mom..."  
  
"...Oh, so you must be Jimmy then?"  
  
Jimmy looked her straight in the eyes, "Yeah, and? Who are you?"  
  
She held out a tiny hand to shake his, "I'm Kohana." Oh, that was simple, he thought, taking her outstretched hand and returning her smile with one of his own. "Wanna help me watch them?"  
  
"Huh?" Jimmy asked confusedly.  
  
"Watch them...my papa and mommy, and my uncle and your mommy." She smiled at him, and he found himself unable to resist for some reason.  
  
"Uh...okay, sure," he said, allowing her to lead him back to her family. He only momentarily glanced back at his mother, seeing that she was way too divulged with Jet to worry. He followed Kohana to a restaurant across the street, where they lifted their eyes over a box of french flowers, through the front window, where a horde of couples gathered on a dance floor, but the one Kohana pointed to was one with a man with a mahogany mane and honey-golden eyes and a blonde woman with emerald eyes. They gazed at one another lovingly, transfixed in each other's eyes. Jimmy looked over to Kohana to see that she was smiling dreamily, her ice blue eyes sparkling with an unspoken joy.  
  
"Hey, Kohana," he said in a whisper, almost afraid to break the silence of the girl and her 'parents' waltz. She looked over to him. "Would you like me to take you home?"  
  
"Uh, sure," Kohana said with a smile.  
  
"Tell me where it is, and we'll head off, a princess and her knight!" Jimmy said victoriously. Kohana giggled, and allowed Jimmy to walk her to the Dolphin, where he was kind enough to help her into her room, then she blew a kiss down at him.  
  
"Thank you, my Noble Knight!" she called from her window.  
  
He winked, "Not a problem for a lovely princess!" Then he ran off to get back to his mommy and Jet.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
Jet was staring at Kathy, who was blushing furiously, both grinning under the moonlight. She said dreamily, "So...do you have to leave again soon?"  
  
"Nah, I don't think so..." he answered, in the same quiet tone. "Kat, can I ask you something?"  
  
"Hm?"  
  
"If I were to tell you I loved you, how badly would you slap me?"  
  
"Who said I would slap you?"  
  
"Good answer." He leaned over, pulling her his way, and planted a firm kiss on her lips. They stayed that way for awhile, until a small voice cleared its throat, causing them to break the kiss and look down at Jimmy, who was looking quite bashful at interrupting.  
  
"Sorry..." he mumbled. Jet and Kathy blushed, looking at each other with a smile, then Jet picked up Jimmy.  
  
"C'mon, Kat, kiddo, I'll take you home and tuck you both in."  
  
"Should I be scared by that?" Kathy asked curiously. Jet gave her a scoffing look.  
  
"Now, who wouldn't be afraid of the great 002?" he laughed, cracking the rest of his little family up with him. They walked off uncaringly, a true-hearted family, for once.  
  
~ ~ ~  
  
"Joe..." Francoise said as he was walking her back to the Dolphin.  
  
"Hm?" he asked.  
  
"I love you," she said, smiling at the sound of the voiced words. "I love you, Joe Shimamura."  
  
Joe smiled victoriously, "I know...I love you too, by the way." He had her in the ring of his arm, and stopped, whirling her around to plant a deep, passionate kiss on her lips. When he broke the kiss, he smiled at her, a dreamy look in both their eyes. "And, Francoise, I'm not letting you go...never again."  
  
"Oh?" she asked, a giggle in her voice. "And what will you do about sleeping and missions." His eyes took on a mischevious glint, and his eye brows rose a bit, causing her to laugh and push away from him, "You beast."  
  
"Aren't we all?" he asked evilly. She winked at him, and cupped his cheek in her palm.  
  
"A bit...but you'd better behave, or else your first daughter will be your only one." He chuckled, taking her by her waist, and leading her the rest of the way to the Dolphin. It was now after midnight, and only Pyunma and Albert remained awake on the ship. They cast a suspicious glance at the couple when they boarded the ship.  
  
"A bit late, aren't we?" Pyunma asked.  
  
"Yeah, what were you two doing? Playing naughty while away, were we?" Albert asked in a teasing voice. Francoise and Joe looked at each other in a way that made Pyunma and Albert both very well aware that they seemed a lot closer than usual.  
  
"Well, not playing naughty, persay," Francoise said, tugging at Joe's collar. "Tuck me in...?" she asked him. He nodded, then led her to her room, sending a wink to the now speechless duo still there. Albert blinked, then looked at Pyunma.  
  
"Hm, now I know why they're both so quiet..." he observed.  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"It's always the quiet ones, that end up being the loudest." Pyunma gave Albert a disgusted look, throwing a random book at him as he laughed.  
  
"You perv."  
  
'Thank you, ever so much." Albert then heard Jet coming in, and for the second time in his life, became speechless. The ever-so-mighty warrior they all knew and loved, Jet, was standing with a dreamy-eyed look, blushing and looking quite...mystical. "What the hell happened to you?!" Albert demanded. Jet looked at him innocently. "Ah, I see...you told her, didn't you?"  
  
"Yup...and might I say, I must be the happiest guy on earth."  
  
"Second happiest," Joe added, returning from Francoise's room and going into his own. Jet looked after him, then questioned Albert and Pyunma with his eyes, both of them chuckling.  
  
"Ya buncha love-struck pansies," was the last comment Jet heard from Pyunma as he closed his door. It was the end to one of the most glorious days of everyone's lives. 


	13. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve-  
  
*Black Ghost's Thoughts on Kohana and the ship's attack...*  
  
Okay, okay, now we MUST hear from the enemy, but just for a short time, mind you! We wouldn't want all of you getting disgusted and making big, fluffy blow up punching bags of Black Ghost and then wasting all the money it took to make them by pounding them to oblivion, now would we??  
  
lol, anyway, thanks again for all the reviews, and you're welcome, Q.o.D!!   
  
^___^  
  
~  
  
Black Ghost's POV  
  
~  
  
When that idiot reported to me that my own daughter was in the hands of the enemy, I can't really explain to you how I was feeling. Evil has no emotions, correct? So why is it that I, who created cyborgs and cyborg replicas of myself, started wars, built armies, and managed to recreate my own daughter after we had her mother attacked could actually feel compassion toward her?  
  
She was an imperfect design. That's what I told Mitzuko. After my idiotically drunken soldiers went and killed her mother, and her uncle that only a few of my best knew wasn't really her father, and she was wounded by the bastards, I had Mitzuko recreate her, making her part-human, part-machine. But she still had her human heart; I despised that. She could still think and feel for herself. That's why I told Mitzuko she was imperfect.  
  
But before that...her mother. Her mother, that beautiful thing that had come into my life wild and untamed and left it only when she realized that I couldn't love her the way she wanted me to. I was beginning to gain power; I could not have a wife, especially not a child. But my moronic brother took her in, and raised our child as his own.  
  
I suppose that is what caused my growing interest in the cyborg operation. Then, during the time 009 was being built...Kohana almost died. Her mother, Asa, and her Uncle Kiyoshi were both killed. She, on the other hand, would have made a fine specimen, had Mitzuko not added 009's blood to her system in an attempt to boost her powers. Yes, her powers were somewhat phenominal, but also weak. Maybe that's because she was still young, and I hadn't given her the benefit of time for her powers to develop.  
  
So, she brought down my Titanial Vessel, huh? Maybe her design isn't all too low-class after all. Maybe, just maybe, she'd want to come back with her daddy. She'd do me a lot of good, but she's with them. She brought down my vessel, though. Does that mean she's helping them? If so...no, I'll convince the child. Yes, that's what I'll do. Convince her to come with me and destroy those fools.  
  
~  
  
Authoress' POV!  
  
"Black Ghost, sir?" asked Captain Siuis asked.  
  
"What, what is it?" Black Ghost snappped.  
  
"We've found the enemy's ship, sir. It's right here in New York."  
  
"That's just peachy, Siuis. Keep me updated. Get that child out of there, too!"  
  
"Sir!"  
  
~  
  
Kohana's POV!  
  
My family...My mommy, my papa, my uncles, my gramps, cousin Ivan, and me. This is my family now. So why do I feel like there's someone else waiting for me? Is it just my...im...imagination, like Mommy said before? Then there was the word Papa used...dream...tele...telep...telepathy. That was it. Why are they being so sure that I'm something I just can't possibly be? WHAT WAS THAT?!  
  
~  
  
Authoress' POV again!  
  
The girl trembled not from her thoughts, but was wondering what she was feeling exactly. Something was coming, she knew that. But her Mommy would know that, too, wouldn't she? Francoise didn't hear it, not even with her super-sensitive senses. The things coming toward them just couldn't be heard.  
  
The Cyborg group was surrounded even as they were so in a state of repose, unbeknownst to the fact that they were being surrounded... 


	14. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen-  
  
Kidnapping of Kohana  
  
Oi....I haven't updated in FOREVER...okay, I'm sorry everyone^^;;; Please don't hurt me. Because that would be BAD....I think.  
  
Oh, and by the way, to those of you who may think that I'm beginning to forget you...  
  
*bawls* I'm not!! I'm sooooooo sorry!! I never will forget any of you, because you're the best authors and the best fans I know!! *sniffle* (;-;) ^(;-;)^  
  
And thanks so much, Fleur! ;.; I'm touched...*sniffle* *sniffle* I really got a lot of my ideas from a certain Queen of Duels, who happens to be a genius at cute li'l scenes, but the storyline's just random thoughts running throughout my head...*thinks about little people running around her head for a moment, then shakes her head quickly* ...because I'm a crazy one...^^;;;;;  
  
~  
  
"Operation is in progress, sir," whispered a black-clad man as he descended the rope of the ship that Black Ghost's men were in to the Dolphin.  
  
"Good. We've sent out the signal that's blocking all their radar, especially 003's."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"If you need backup, Johnson's right behind you. I expect the girl to be on board this ship within the hour."  
  
"Yes, sir. Over and out." The man put his headset away from his mouth, and dropped to his feet on the Dolphin's cockpit roof. He went to the door, and took out a torchflame, putting the flame against the edges of the door until it loosened enough for him to pry it from the Dolphin's metal armor.  
  
"Johnson," he called over his shoulder to his comrade, who waited at the foot of the rope ladder from the aircraft.  
  
  
  
"Sir?"  
  
"Get in there. I'll cover you; find the girl, get her right out here, and I'll take care of the rest."  
  
"But sir, he never said anything-"  
  
"Damn it, Johnson, do you want to deal with these side-show freaks later on? They'll be pissed once they find out we've taken the girl back! Just follow orders!"  
  
"Yes, Colonel Foreman." Jacob Foreman nodded at Johnson, who dropped into the Dolphin's cockpit and headed toward the cabins. The first room was Dr. Gilmore's, he knew from glancing inside. The second room he didn't even bother with, as he could clearly hear a man(G.B.)'s snores loudly echoing around a television set.  
  
While he searched for Kohana, Jacob pulled out a time bomb from his bag. He programmed it into the Dolphin's cockpit, to go off an hour after they left. Of course, that would give the cyborgs approximately one second to disarm it, because it had a timed alarm before it went off, but not even 009 would know how to disarm the bomb; he'd have to have studied mechanics, and his strong point was in speed, not studies.  
  
Kohana was putting up a nasty fight when Johnson brought her out into the cockpit; she kicked and screamed and cried for her Papa, but to no avail. The blocking signal was keeping that in check.  
  
"Papa! Mommy!" Kohana cried over Johnson's shoulder, then looked up at him, and gave him a good kick in the stomach. He fell forward, groaning as he dropped her to the ground, and she ran toward Joe's room, "PAPA! PAPA!"  
  
"Huh...? What...?" Joe asked in his room, waking up slowly and looking groggily around. His movements were sluggish. "Ko-Kohana?" He looked around his room, and didn't see the five-year-old that matched his dream's interruption. But he sure heard her, when she cried a somewhat stifled cry from what sounded like the cockpit.  
  
"PAPA!!"  
  
"Kohana!?" Joe jumped out of bed, and sped toward the cockpit as fast as he could...which he found wasn't very fast at all! He looked over himself, and stopped. He was moving so slowly...as if his power had been suppressed in some way... "Black Ghost," he murmured, frustrated. "He's planted some sort of device to slow down our powers!" He shook his head, and tried running toward the cockpit again.  
  
"Pap-" Kohana tried one last time, but Johnson put a cloth over her mouth and nose, forcing her to inhale the sleep stimulant. Her eyes drooped slowly, and she grew limp in his arms.  
  
"Give me the kid," Jacob ordered. Johnson immediately obeyed, and the two soldiers ascended into the sky before Joe could intercept. Once they were on board, Siuis shut down the device that was locking the Cyborgs' powers, and the mechanical bird that they were piloting dissapeared over the mountains; Kohana going with them.  
  
Joe felt his Acceleration begin to kick in again, and sped to the cockpit at top speed, throwing open the door to see his worst nightmare. "Ko...hana..." he said lowly, bangs shading his eyes. A tear trickled down his cheek as he watched his 'daughter' being taken away from him, on that damnable ship. But that didn't last very long.  
  
The sound of a ticking clock distracted his attention, and he looked at the bomb attached to the control board of the Dolphin with nothing more than fear in his eyes, the kind of fear that he'd not only lose Kohana, but Francoise...  
  
"Damn."  
  
~  
  
Okay, that's it for today^^;;;;;  
  
Don't kill me.  
  
...Please? 


End file.
